1. Technical Field
The invention relates to teleconferencing. More particularly, the invention relates to methods for better facilitating collaboration in video teleconferences.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Current video teleconferencing systems are deficient in their ability to support effective collaboration among conference participants, engendering a feeling of remoteness amongst the participants that is contrary to the intended benefits of the system. This deficiency can be attributed to a number of shortcomings that collectively diminish the effectiveness of the communication.
Specifically, current systems do not:                Provide spatial and visual cues that create within the participants a sense of being assembled at a single location        Enhance the same-room feeling by directing the view of participants towards supplementary displays such that participants at all sites feel they are looking at a common position in space;        Use networked control of the conferencing environments so that lighting and other visual factors appear similar among sites;        Offer adequate software tools for maintaining the synchronization of the conference environments;        React to cues provided within speech patterns and content; and        Provide accurate audio cueing, i.e. remote participant voices often emanate from a location other than where the image of the remote participant is displayed.        
It would be advantageous to provide an advanced video teleconferencing system that facilitates an engaging and realistic video conferencing experience.